The present invention relates generally to closures for threaded and unthreaded piping and cylindrical members. More particularly, the present invention is a dual-size cap which is comprised of piping materials approved for use by current plumbing codes and standard practices to cap a single pipe end, but capable of accommodating two different pipe sizes.
There are many instances in construction, as well as by service technicians and homeowners to temporarily or permanently cap a pipe. In some instances the pipe has not yet been exposed, such as a water service or sewer line below grade, or beneath a home. This would be an instance where a service technician would be better equipped to handle the job without making an extra trip to the hardware store or supply house after the pipe is exposed.
Generally, the ends of pipes are capped in accordance to the type of piping material it is capping. Copper tubing ends are generally capped using a solder welded copper cap. Plastic pipe ends are generally closed with a solvent weld plastic cap. Plain and threaded end piping may be capped using an elastomeric material, which is slipped over the pipe end and sealed with a clamping device.
The purpose of capping pipe ends is numerous. For example, in plumbing residential and commercial structures, a series of plumbing systems are installed. There are separate systems for waste and waste vents, hot and cold potable water, natural or liquid gas, landscaping water, roof and storm water drainage and fire sprinkler water, to name the most common. After each stage of installation of these systems is completed, they must be tested and approved by local building authorities. The ends of all piping outlets must be temporarily capped and sealed to allow pressure to be applied to these systems, generally by the use of water or air, to expose possible installation and or material defects. After successful completion of the tests, the systems are drained, the caps are removed and the next stage of installation is resumed. This process is repeated until the project is completed.
With the multitude of plumbing systems comes a multitude of pipe sizes. Each plumbing system has several pipe sizes which are determined by load calculations set forth by plumbing engineers and plumbing codes. Unfortunately, the trade person must carry a number of cap sizes to complete the testing of all these systems. For example, in a small three bathroom residence there are generally four common pipe sizes for the waste and vent system, 1xc2xdxe2x80x3, 2xe2x80x3, 3xe2x80x3 and 4xe2x80x3. There are generally four common sizes for the water system, xc2xdxe2x80x3, xc2xexe2x80x3, 1xe2x80x3 1xc2xcxe2x80x3, There are generally five common pipe sizes for the gas system, xc2xdxe2x80x3, xc2xexe2x80x3, 1xe2x80x3 1xc2xcxe2x80x3 and 1xc2xdxe2x80x3 and there are generally three common pipe sizes for landscape water, xc2xdxe2x80x3, xc2xexe2x80x3, 1xe2x80x3. Generally each plumbing system uses a different piping material and installation method.
The diverse amount of material required by the trade person to complete a small project is staggering. Testing for a small project described above requires approximately ten to twenty caps, varying in size, whereas a commercial building such as a medical facility or a hotel requires hundreds of caps. The pipe sizes in a commercial building increase as the demand on the systems increase. Their pipe sizes may generally range from 1xc2xdxe2x80x3 through 8xe2x80x3 for waste and vent systems, xc2xdxe2x80x3 through 6xe2x80x3 for potable water systems, xc2xdxe2x80x3 through 3xe2x80x3 for gas systems and 2xe2x80x3 through 8xe2x80x3 for the storm water system. Capping products are typically used numerous times before discarding, resulting in an accumulation in the service vehicle or warehouse.
Accordingly, there is a need for a plumbing end cap which is capable of capping pipes of two different sizes. Such a cap should be configured to be used on a variety of ends of pipes, and capable of being constructed of various types of materials. The present invention fulfills this need and provides other related advantages.
The plumbing end cap of the present invention can be used as a temporary or permanent cap to terminate pipe ends. The plumbing end cap generally comprises a fluid impervious membrane, having a first cylindrical wall extending therefrom. The first wall is configured to envelop an end of a first pipe having a first diameter and, cooperatively with the membrane, seal the end of the first pipe. A second cylindrical wall is associated with the membrane and has a diameter which is larger than the first wall. The second wall is configured to envelop an end of a second pipe having a second diameter and, cooperatively with the membrane, seal the end of the second pipe.
The plumbing end cap may include a test fitting extending through the membrane. The test fitting includes external or internal threads so as to be configured to securely connect to a test gauge, or water source.
The first and second walls may be comprised of a relatively durable material, such as hardened plastic or metal. Inner surfaces of the first and second walls may include internal threads which are configured to mate with external threads of the first or second pipe which the end cap is to be attached to. The inner surfaces of the walls may alternatively include protruding ridges which are configured to secure the walls to an end of the first or second pipe.
The first and second walls may alternatively be comprised of a flexible material. In such an embodiment, a clamp surrounds an outer surface of the first or second wall to secure it to the first or second pipe end. Prongs may extend from an outer surface of either the first or second wall for positioning the clamp.
The plumbing end cap of the present invention can be designed with varying configurations. For example, the first and second may extend from opposite surfaces of the membrane. Alternatively, the first and second walls may extend from the same surface of the membrane, so as to be concentric. In such instance, the first wall is often of greater length than the second wall. In yet another embodiment, a wall extends from the member in stepped fashion to define a first cylindrical wall, and second cylindrical wall of greater diameter. The first cylindrical wall is configured to accept an end of a first pipe, while the second wall is configured to accept an end of a second pipe having a different diameter. Regardless of the configuration, the plumbing end cap of the present invention is designed to permanently or temporarily seal two different pipe sizes.
In the case of the homeowner, the plumbing end cap of the present invention is of great assistance. Many pipe sizes are very similar making it difficult for the homeowner to determine the proper cap to purchase. Often the pipe can not be removed as a reference of size, so the homeowner is left with a choice of either purchasing two or three caps, or purchasing one cap and possibly making return trips to the store. A novel plumbing end cap with two pipe sizes in ascending order would take all the guesswork out of the purchase. For example, if a homeowner had a water line in the ground, which is no longer in use and wanted to terminate the line, he would expose the pipe and try to determine its size. For example, if the pipe is xc2xdxe2x80x3 steel threaded pipe, the homeowner would go to the hardware store and try to determine what he or she saw in the ground. By having one cap that is xc2xdxe2x80x3 and xc2xexe2x80x3, and another cap which is 1xe2x80x3 and 1xc2xcxe2x80x3, the choice would be easy. The xc2xdxe2x80x3 and the 1xe2x80x3 pipe sizes are substantially different.
The novel plumbing end cap of the present invention is also an attempt at lessening the amount of inventory required by the trade person to complete his or her job. The invention allows the trade person to order a single end cap, knowing it will have the ability to handle two pipe sizes. Because the invention covers only two pipe sizes, it remains inexpensive to the trade person and homeowner, and reduces overbuying and overstocking of caps. Furthermore, this invention could reduce the overall inventory of the wholesale supplier and the retailer by elimination inventory of individual size caps, replacing them with a dual size cap, when shelf storage space is limited.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.